Tonight at The Barns: David Wilcox

Tonight at The Barns is David Wilcox, insightful folk singer who charms with "brilliantly articulate guitar, an honestly pretty baritone, and deft lyrics" (Boston Globe).

David Wilcox was born in Cleveland, Ohio and taught himself to play guitar in college. He became a regular at a local club in North Carolina called McDibbs early in his career.

Armed with just his open-tuned guitar and his kind wit, Wilcox’s charming live performances have helped him develop a strong fan base and have taken him all over the world, including a singer/songwriter festival at Carnegie Hall in 1994.

Wilcox’s first studio album, How Did You Find Me Here (1989), sold 100,000 albums by word of mouth, and he has released 16 more albums since.

A masterful songwriter and storyteller, Wilcox’s most recent travel-inspired album, 2010’s Reverie, recounts the people and places he’s visited and those he dreams of visiting: “Each song is like a postcard that inspires me to travel, but instead of just a snapshot of a place, it’s a preview of a whole different way of seeing.”

“For any singer/songwriter to be able to muster passion, hope, and grace after 15 years in the unsung folk genre is an accomplishment, and as such, David Wilcox is infinitely accomplished.”—Paste Magazine

Be sure to catch David Wilcox at The Barns at Wolf Trap tonight, Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 8 pm.

News & Notes - January 2013

Today's post comes from Natalie Creamer, Wolf Trap's Spring 2013 Public Relations Intern.

Been curious about Wolf Trap’s presence in the news cycle since 2013? Lucky for us, it’s been strong, so we’ve got a lot to share. Take a peek below.

The Barns at Wolf Trap inaugurated the 2013 winter season with a spellbinding acoustic performance by singer/songwriter Ari Hest, who debuted songs from his new album The Fire Plays. In a preview by Metro Weekly, Hest discussed his relationship with music, and internal struggle of developing as a male vocalist. The Washington Post labeled Hest’s CD as an Editor’s Pick, raving about his full, raspy sound and cooing melodies, all credited to his strong, vibrant voice.

The progressive JACK Quartet and GRAMMY-nominated composer and clarinetist Derek Bermel joined forces to perform an evening of chamber music featuring works by Ligeti and Brahms, as well as the Wolf Trap commission piece A Short History of the Universe, composed by Bermel. An article published by The Washington Examiner explores the energetic and adventurous outlook of JACK Quartet as they continue to push the envelope in classical standards. Also, a review by The Washington Post recounted the ensemble’s mastery of the complicated program and praised Bermel’s innovative new composition.

Veteran alt-rockers Gin Blossoms have re-emerged this year performing an upbeat line-up of new tunes and early ’90s hits. In an interview with The Washington Examiner, Gin Blossoms explained how they prepare for shows, select set lists, and improvise with vocals. Christopher Cross serenaded crowds with his GRAMMY-Award winning pop ballads. Fairfax County Times spoke with Cross and listened as he retraced his vibrant journey to becoming an influential musician. Cross’s musical career can also be read even more in depth in The Washington Examiner.

Folk singer, guitarist and storyteller Livingston Taylor spread his lighthearted spirit at The Barns as he introduced up-and-coming contemporary folk musician Chelsea Berry. The Washington Examiner raved about Taylor’s jovial demeanor and energetic presence in an article about his lively career and melodic narratives. Cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Kirill Gerstein took the stage for a joint performance of works by Liszt, Busoni, Brahms, and Bartók. Northern Virginia Magazine announced Isserlis and Gerstein as a “powerhouse pair,” who would take the stage by storm. More applauding reviews about the virtuosos can be found in Ionarts and The Washington Post.

Lastly, folk guitarist and singer/songwriter David Wilcox will share his acoustic, introspective melodies at The Barns tonight. In an interview with The Washington Examiner,Wilcox described his connection to music and its powerful, transcending influence.

Check back for more regional news and national coverage on upcoming performers as The Barns continues its amazing season!

Tonight at The Barns: Tom Chapin

Tom Chapin, a renowned singer-songwriter from a famous musical family, enthralls audiences with a treasure trove of his widely recognized classics tonight at The Barns.

New York City-bred Tom Chapin and his siblings (the sons of jazz drummer Jim Chapin) turned their musical pedigree into local success during the heyday of the Greenwich Village folk scene with their acclaimed group The Chapin Brothers.

Chapin’s music recently received widespread attention with the release of Broadsides: A Miscellany of Musical Opinion (2010), a collection of songs he wrote with John Forster for NPR’s nationally syndicated Morning Edition.

Chapin will appear in the upcoming feature-length documentary Greenwich Village:Music That Defined a Generation, which chronicles the groundbreaking 1960s music scene in which Chapin was a key figure.

In the 1970s Chapin discovered his love for children’s songs, which has since become a lifelong passion. In 2009 he won the Children’s Music Network’s Magic Penny Award for making a difference in the lives of children through music, and in 2011 he released an environmentally focused family album, Give Peas a Chance.

“Warm spirit, infectious humor, and sensitive satiric songs...one of the great personalities in contemporary folk music.”—The New York Times

Tom Chapin will perform at The Barns tonight, Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 7:30pm.

Old + New = Harmony

Today's post is from Lee Anne Myslewski, Director, Artistic Administration, Wolf Trap Opera & Classical Programming.

Tonight we have two chamber music titans in the house; cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Kirill Gerstein. Both have won competitions and accolades, too many to list. They’ll be playing an amazing program of Liszt (Romance oubliée & Die Zelle in Nonnenwerth ), Busoni (Kultaselle, variations on a Finnish folksong), Brahms (Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38 and Sonata No. 2 in F minor, Op. 99), and, Bartók (Rhapsody for Cello and Piano). There is no doubt in my mind that the evening is going to be musically rich and inspiring.

But here’s an interesting contrast to ponder:

Steven will likely be playing an instrument of great historical provenance – most likely a Stradivarius cello which was made in 1726. (That’s fifty years before we were even an indivisible nation, folks.)

Kirill will be playing on a piano with a more recent provenance (our beautiful 9’ Yamaha CFIII concert grand).

But here’s the kicker…when I asked if he’d need a page turner for the concert? I was told “No page turner needed – he’ll have his iPad.” Seriously?!?! Twenty-first century technology in concert with an 18th century instrument, both on our intimate stage… there’s an exciting synergy in that kind of collaboration.

Tonight at The Barns: Livingston Taylor

Tonight, The Barns at Wolf Trap welcomes back Livingston Taylor who first appeared on our stage in February 1986. He will be joined tonight by special guest Chelsea Berry.

Born in Boston and raised in North Carolina, Livingston Taylor grew up in a very musical family with fellow musicians as siblings. His nephew, acoustic guitarist Ben Taylor, performed at The Barns at Wolf Trap in October 2012.

Imparting the knowledge he’s learned in his 40 years of touring, Taylor is a full professor at Berklee College of Music, where he teaches a class on stage performance. He also wrote the book Stage Performance, which offers advice about life on the road and having a conversation with the audience.

He has released more than a dozen albums, and his most recent effort, Last Alaska Moon (2010) contains melodies that are “carefully crafted and artistically wrought.”—AllMusic.com

Taylor, who has performed with legends including Linda Ronstadt and Jethro Tull, still performs nearly 80 shows a year.

“Livingston Taylor is a master of the performing word. After all, he has made his living as a singer-songwriter for about 40 years. He can also weave a complex, compelling tapestry with the spoken word.”—MetroWest Daily News

A compelling singer/songwriter from Alaska, Chelsea Berry has performed her powerful folk-rock music all across the United States, from Nashville to Carnegie Hall, and is currently working on her first album with a full band.

Livingston Taylor performs with Chelsea Berry tonight, Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 8 pm.

Tonight at The Barns: Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Ralph Stanley, superlative “Man of Constant Sorrow,” who is both a bluegrass pioneer and national treasure performs tonight with legendary Appalachian ensemble The Clinch Mountain Boys.

Born in Big Spraddle, Virginia, Dr. Ralph Stanley began his legendary recording career as part of the Stanley Brothers, a seminal bluegrass duo with his brother, Carter. After Carter’s tragic passing in 1966, Ralph carried on the duo’s legacy and continues to perform their signature songs, such as “Man of Constant Sorrow.”

Stanley’s high, mournful tenor and clawhammer banjo playing still shine in more recent albums including 2011’s A Mother’s Prayer, which “documents him playing just the sort of music he helped build into a true American art form.”—AllMusic.com

Stanley has won countless awards including three GRAMMYs and the National Medal of Arts, and he has been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry and the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.

Performing nearly 150 shows a year, The Clinch Mountain Boys includes Mitchell Van Dyke (banjo), James Alan Shelton (lead guitar), Jimmy Cameron (bass), Dewey Brown (fiddle), and Ralph Stanley’s son, Ralph Stanley II (vocals), and grandson, Nathan Stanley (vocals). The band has given rise to many bluegrass stars including Ricky Skaggs.

“...easily the most eminent bluegrass singer in the world.”—NPR’s Fresh Air

This show will sell out so if you don't already have your tickets, be sure to keep checking for last minute releases. Ralph Stanley performs at The Barns with his Clinch Mountain Boys tonight, January 23, 2013 at 8pm.

Tonight at the Barns: Christopher Cross

Soft-rock pioneer of “Sailing” fame Christopher Cross returns to The Barns after two sold out performances in spring 2012. 

This singer-songwriter fused rock and pop to craft the groundbreaking sound of his GRAMMY-winning eponymous masterpiece in 1980, featuring songs such as “Ride Like the Wind” that still delight audiences today.

Christopher Cross hails from San Antonio, Texas, where he gained local notoriety with the hard rock group Flash before accepting a solo album contract with Warner Brothers in 1978.

His eponymous 1979 debut became a smash hit, and along with sophomore follow-up album Another Page (1983), generated eight songs that reached the Billboard charts in three years, including “Sailing” and “Think of Laura.”

At the 1980 GRAMMY Awards, Cross became the only artist to have won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year as well as Best New Artist in the same night.

The song “Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do),” co-written by Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen for the acclaimed film Arthur, won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and was performed by Cross at the ceremony.

Cross has written many successful songs for TV and film, including “Loving Strangers” for the 1986 Tom Hanks film Nothing in Common and “Lemon's Theme,” a duet with Tina Fey featured on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock.

Averaging about 100 live shows per year, Cross continues to tour extensively on the strength of his music’s enduring popularity: to date, Cross has sold over 9 million albums worldwide.

“The biggest gift of my career has been to work with and meet those artists I idolized growing up, whether it’s Randy Newman or the Beach Boys.”— Christopher Cross 

Christopher Cross performs on Friday, January 18, 2013 at 8 pm and Saturday, January 19, 2013 at 7:30 pm.

What We're Listening To: January

We're back with our 2013 kickoff entry of what your Wolf Trap blog team has been listening to since the new year dawned. We've got a new contributor, Mr. Joe LaCroix who brings a decidedly alt-rock spin to these playlists, which is highly welcome since myself and Liz tend to skew a bit more indie. Camille is still regularly coming in with some amazing throwbacks like Paula Cole, Natalie Imbruglia, and the incomparable Juanes (we love her occasional Puerto Rican tinge).

As always, let us know what you're listening to these days via the comments section on the blog or Facebook. And if your lack of a Spotify account prevents you from listening to this, now's the time to sign up. It's free.

Tonight at The Barns: International Guitar Night

Scotland's Martin Taylor, Madagascar's Solorazaf, Brazil's Celso Machado and the United States' Brian Gore (above) join forces for International Guitar Night tonight at The Barns. 

Showcasing great songwriting and playing that demonstrates a high level of both technicality and musicality, International Guitar Night has become a major force in contemporary guitar music.

American master guitarist Brian Gore created International Guitar Night in 1995 and has since released three albums and authored the book Fingerstyle Guitar: Lessons in Technique and Creativity (2005).

Martin Taylor, whose “remarkable fluid touch imbues a seamless beauty” (Washington Post), has performed in concert halls from Europe and Asia to Australia, playing his unique jazz-tinged pieces to great acclaim.

Stompboxes, throat-clearing, and tongue-clicking are just a few of the methods by which guitar master Solorazaf accents his smoothly flowing world music with imaginative percussion.

Hailed as “inventive and unbuttoned” by The New York Times, rhythmic classical guitarist Celso Machado hails from Brazil and is a current resident of British Columbia. He is a four-time JUNO Award nominee and winner of the 2008 Canadian Folk Music Award for World Solo Artist of the Year.

International Guitar Night takes place on Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 8 pm. 

Tonight at The Barns: Gin Blossoms

Tonight, ’90s Pop/alt rockers behind mega-hits like “Hey Jealousy” and “Follow You Down” Gin Blossoms make their Barns at Wolf Trap debut.

Gin Blossoms began in 1987 in Tempe, Arizona, and they had their breakthrough with the album New Miserable Experience, which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart in 1993. This record featured the hits “Hey Jealousy” and “Found Out About You.”

The platinum-selling group broke up in 1997 but came back together four years later. In Summer 2012, they made their Wolf Trap debut at the Filene Center as part of the Summerland tour with Everclear and Sugar Ray. 

Since reuniting, Gin Blossoms have released three new albums: Major Lodge Victory in 2006 (which Billboard  lauded as “an effortless triumph of melodic perfection”),  No Chocolate Cake in 2010 (which the San Antonio Express-News wrote “offers listeners a refreshing time-travel experience”), and Icon in 2011, a greatest-hits compilation.

The band behind Gin Blossoms' distinctive lovelorn lyrics and high-spirited instrumentation includes Bill Leen, Jesse Valenzuela, Robin Wilson, Scott Johnson, and Scott Hessel.

"If you’re a band and want to sustain a career, no matter what you look like or how you play, you’ve got to have great songs. So it’s those songs and the sound we make…my voice, the guitars, tempos, that add up to something indefinable.”—Band member Robin Wilson

Gin Blossoms perform on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 8 pm. 

Tonight at The Barns: Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound

Wisconsinite Paul Cebar honed his musical skills in the coffee shops of 1970s Milwaukee before finding success with Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans (now Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound).

That Unhinged Thing (1993), sparked a six-month North America tour, including dates on the West Coast and in Canada.

The current lineup includes former R&B Cadet Bob Jennings (sax, keyboards), Mike Fredrickson (bass), Reggie Bordeaux (drums), McKinley “Mac” Perkins (percussion), and Paul Cebar (acoustic guitar, vocals).  

Critics have called the group’s latest album, Tomorrow Sound Now for Yes Music People (2007), “a delicious synthesis of vintage R&B, soul, New Orleansiana, Cubano Bop, slithery Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and tantalizing esoterica.”

“I thought we might want to shake the wagon and rustle the bushes to somehow assert that we've got something new, vital, and powerfully funky to bring to you: Tomorrow Sound.”—Cebar, on changing his band’s name 

 Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound appear at The Barns on January 12, 2013 at 7:30pm.

Good, Clean, Nerdy Fun

Today's post is from Lee Anne Myslewski, Director, Artistic Administration, Wolf Trap Opera & Classical Programming.

Sometimes you hear buzz about a performer or a group, but you can't make it to one of their shows. You follow them, listen to their recordings, wonder when you're going to actually get to be in the same room with them, to feel the energy of a live performance. And when you finally get the chance, you buy your tickets and anxiously await their performance.

(In this case, “you” means “me.”)

I've been following the JACK Quartet for several years – they've dug into crazy cool projects like the Xenakis quartets and justified temperament renditions of Bach fugues. They're passionate players, but in this case "passionate" isn't code for "sloppy" – they're highly precise, thoughtful music makers. A quote from Strad Magazine describes their performance of the Ligeti 2 (on tonight’s program) as " … the players were creating a new aesthetic, in which beauty is sculpted with surgical precision..."

The quartet is joined tonight by clarinetist and composer Derek Bermel. They’ll perform the Brahms clarinet quintet together, which will be lovely. However, I'm most excited about the world premiere, A Short History of the Universe (as related by Nima Arkani-Hamed). I could tell you that commissioning is important, and indeed it is, both to the classical music canon and to Wolf Trap’s mission. I could talk about how fascinating I find Professor Arkani-Hamed’s lectures on the universe. Both are excellent points, but I’m mostly excited to hear the music. Derek writes with a large sonic vocabulary and uses pop, jazz, folk tunes and just about any other idiom he can find to craft beautiful, tuneful, original music. A recent review describes him thusly: "This composer is an absorber of worlds, drawing on the sighs and moans of jazz or soul; the ornamental inflections that pepper Bulgarian folk songs and Irish ballads; the dancing, buzzing modalisms of the gyil, a West African xylophone. He is a singular transformer of his source materials, a writer of memorable melodies and a virtuoso clarinetist, as well."

It's an exciting program with an exciting bunch of performers. I hope you’ll join me this evening at The Barns!

Tonight at The Barns: BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet

Tonight, Cajun band BeauSoleil brings the Bayou to The Barns with unrivaled fiddler Michael Doucet.

Led by world-renowned fiddler Michael Doucet, contemporary Cajun stalwarts BeauSoleil released their first record in 1976 and have since created several groundbreaking albums that fuse Zydeco, Caribbean calypso, and French influences into an eclectic blend with Cajun and Creole music at its heart.

BeauSoleil became the first Cajun band to win a GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Folk Album in 1997 for L’amour où La Folie and a second GRAMMY for Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album in 2008 for Live at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

The band—which consists of Michael Doucet (fiddle, vocals), David Doucet (guitar, vocals), Billy Ware (percussion), Tommy Alesi (percussion), and Mitchell Reed (bass, fiddle)—recorded Looking Back Tomorrow: BeauSoleil Live at The Barns at Wolf Trap in 2001.

In 2009 BeauSoleil released their 29th album, Alligator Purse, which features guest artists like singer Natalie Merchant and banjo legend Bill Keith.

Join BeauSoleil and Micheal Doucet at The Barns tonight, Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 8pm.

5 Reasons to Visit The Barns at Wolf Trap in the New Year

Our Facebook fans total 13,573, yet I'm betting not all of our loyal followers have been to The Barns at Wolf Trap. And we get it. The diversity in programming is a little more expansive featuring a larger selection of under the radar artists, and we don't market our shows quite as heavily as you'll see in the summer. This being said, we of course are proud to present artists like Gin Blossoms, Edwin McCain, and Paula Cole who are some of the best selling musicians in history. So you see a trade off at the intimate 380 seat indoor space.

Here are five reasons why you should make The Barns a venue of choice in the new year.

1) The pristine sound. 

I challenge you to find better sound than you'll experience in this 18th century barn with original wood beams and paneling. This isn't your standard cavernous rock club with artificial insulation to absorb the sound. If you find better acoustics elsewhere, we'd like to hear immediately.

2) Every seat feels like you're sitting front row.

That's a slight exaggeration, but I've sat in each section of The Barns, and every seat offers a perfect sight line to the stage. And with only 380 seats, you're never far away from the action. Here's a view from the balcony, or what we call the hayloft.

3) The food and drink.

Need we say more about this menu of beer and wine? If you're a beer lover, you'll be in heaven with this selection of local mid-Atlantic brews. And yes of course, we have Miller Lite too.

Oh, and try the chili. Homemade every night.

4) The atmosphere. 

Take one more look at the photo and imagine yourself in that warm, intimate environment nursing a warm cider and whiskey, listening to your pick of highly affordable world-class pop, jazz, swing, folk, bluegrass or classical. It just doesn't get any better. We also have an adjacent barn with tables for socializing, eating and drinking. So come early (doors open at 6:30) and enjoy a brew and some chili.

5) Mingle with the Artist

More often than not, the artist will hang out and sign merch/take photos in the lobby, so if you're looking to post a Facebook or Instagram photo of you with your favorite performer, seeing them at The Barns is the best place to make it happen.

Notable mentions:

-low prices
-free parking
-convenient location right off Dulles Toll Road
-comfortable padded seats
-ideal for first, 5th and 500th dates

Tonight at The Barns: Ari Hest

Tonight, acoustically inclined folk-rocker Ari Hest brings his poignant and heartfelt songs to The Barns at Wolf Trap. 

With his smoky, soothing voice and introspective lyrics, this acoustic singer-songwriter is internationally sought-after.

Hest discovered his love for writing and performing music as a student at NYU in the early 2000s. He booked his own shows and did all the promotions for his independent albums Come Home (2001) and Story After Story (2002).

In 2004 Columbia records released Someone to Tell, which included catchy hits such as “They’re On to Me.” However, Hest left the label soon after in order to preserve artistic control over his music.

You can hear Hest’s songs in TV shows like Private Practice and One Tree Hill and movies such as the critically regarded Dreamriders, which won numerous independent film awards.

After an extensive international tour in support of his 2011 album Sunset Over Hope Street, Hest began working on his sixth and latest album, 2012’s The Fire Plays.

“Since I began ten years ago until now there’s been a pretty big transformation, vocally and otherwise…I like the feeling of starting again with more confidence about what I’m doing and the music I’m creating.”—Hest

Ari Hest opens The Barns at Wolf Trap Winter/Spring 2013 season on Saturday, January 5, 2013 at 7:30 pm.